Available from 15 Quarrie Park, Kirriemuir, Angus, DD8 4DR

It's quite a range of ranges, isn't it? More really excellent figures by Steve Shaw. The detail on them has to be seen to be believed. I shall list the figures, comment and then draw some (not to scale).

The figures are supplied in packs, 8 infantry, 6 command, or 4 cavalry, unless otherwise stated in the lists. All packs are £ 1.15. Only manufactured in Scotland.

The Great War 1914 - 1918

British.

GW1. British infantry officer, steel helmet, pistol, Sam Browne supporting holster. Pistol is a .45 by its size. Breeches & puttees. (All puttees where puttees to the knee).

GW2. British infantry, steel helmet, fighting order, advancing with one hand raised. Small pack on back, rifle held at the point of balance in the left hand, or left hand raised & rifle held in the right hand (good variety). Ammo pouches on belt, those five little ones for one to have more bits to keep clean.

GW3. British infantry, steel helmet, fighting order, advancing. One version rifle at high porte, the other, rifle at bayonet fighting attack position.

GW4. British infantry, steel helmet, fighting order, firing. Good aiming position, weight on the front foot to counteract recoil impact.

All well modelled, cast & detailed.

Germans in pickelhaube.

I think the pickelhaube looks so much better than the "coalscuttle" shrapnel helmet adopted latter in the war. Still I expect the troops appreciated the "coalscuttles" protective advantages !

GW5. German infantry, in fighting order advancing with one hand raised. The right one. In the left the rifle vertical. The pack & rolled greatcoat.

GW6. German officers., pickelhaube/cap, pistol. Both poses show a Luger pistol in the right hand. The capped officer has his left hand raised. At their belts are a holster on the left side and a binoculars case on the right. Round regulation container on the back of the belt.

GW7. German infantry, fighting order, advancing. Two different poses, one rifle at a higher angle than the other, this makes for good variety in an advancing line.

GW8. German infantry, fighting order, firing. A good aiming pose.

Imperial Japanese Army, WWII

J1. Officer, helmet and sword. Waving his katana, tall gaiters, pistol holster on the right of his belt. His left hand grips his scabbard.

J2. Infantryman, helmet, advancing with one hand raised. Swathed in kit and puttees. Rifle held at the point of balance, vertical in the left hand.

J3. Infantryman, helmet, advancing. Two poses, one rifle at a sharper angle than the other. Good action poses.

J4. Infantryman, helmet, firing. Good aiming pose.

J5. Infantryman, advancing with Type 96 LMG. Excellently modelled weapon.

J6. Infantryman, helmet, prone, firing Type 96 LMG. (Pack of 4 figures).

J7. Infantryman, helmet, crawling with rifle. (Pack of 4 figures).

"Snipers picking off the officers of the Duke of Wellingtons Regt. in Malaya" or any other theatre of operations, with these figures. British WWI figures could substitute for US Marine Corps WWII vs Japs, as they wore "Battle bowlers" similar to British ones early on.

1859 Piedmontese

IT5 Cacciatori Delle Alpi infantry advancing, kepi. Rolled blanket across chest, short gaiters, bread-bag on left hip. An élite corps.

IT6 Cacciatori Delle Alpi command. (2 officers, 2 drummers, 2 standard bearers). Kepi, gaiters, officer frock coat, sword. Drummer playing. Standard bearer with staff at 45° (supply own fly). All we need now is for Steve to do Garibaldi, Bixio and one or two other "personalities" and away we go! Oh yes, I'm using some ACW artillery as Dunnes' Garibaldini so we could do with some British provided (privately) artillery in model form please.

WARS OF THE ROSES

WOR9 Dismounted Knights, assorted weapons. A grand assortment, highly detailed, crisply cast and accurate. (Bibliography. 1. "The Wars of the Roses", Hubert Cole. "The British at War" series. 2. "A Knight and his Armour", R. Ewart Oakshott, Lutterworth Press. 3. "A Knight and his Weapons", R. Ewart Oakshott, Lutterworth Press.)

1. Kettle hat, beavor, sword and dagger, pole arm (Halberd), full plate.
2. Sallet, sword and dagger, pole arm (spear), full plate.
3. Sallet, sword and dagger, pole arm (Halberd), full plate.
4. Closed helm (becco da passerelle or armet) pole axe, full plate
5. Barbute helmet, sword, dagger, Halberd, full plate.
6. Barbute, sword in hand, full plate.
7. Armet (never very popular in UK but lighter than a baseinet and more difficult to make.) Sword in hand, full plate.
8. Kettle (or War) hat, beavor, to guard lower face, chin and neck, sword in hand, full plate.
9. Tailed sallet, sword in hand, full plate.

One could have a right ding dong with this lot!

1850 Danish

D1 Line infantry command (2 officers, 2 drummers, 2 standard bearers). As ever, superb detail and casting. The animation is good too. All these figures wear the frockcoat and shako. The officer, sword in hand point grounded, supports his scabbard with his left hand. At his right side is a telescope holder. The drummer is playing and has "swallows nests" on his shoulders. The standard bearer has the pole in both hands (supply own fly).

D2 Line Infantry, kepi, advancing, full kit. Full kit consists of pack, rolled blanket on top, cartridge box on right hip balanced by canteen on left on top of a bread bag over the bayonet sheath. The straps crossed on the chest are held by a cap pouch. The Grenadiers of the Life Guard of Foot are promised to follow in bearskin. This innovative range widens everyone's scope. They can fight Germans obviously. The Continental Wars Society will be pleased to see these.

Flodden Pikemen

[One can buy 1/32 steel wire suitable for pikes from Feudal, 12" lengths = 15p at time of writing.]

S16 Flodden pikemen standing.

S17 Flodden armoured pikemen standing. As a Glasgow Phoenix club member at SKELP said, "I know that lot. They lost! Using this tough-looking lot in a wargame, I'm not so sure.

One wears an armour with a closed helm, besagews - the lot. Gentlemen still held the pike to be a noble weapon at Flodden. Another wears a kettle hat and carries a targe. Another a sallet. The others wear jacks, two with bonnets and the third a steel pot.

A few drawings now. Steve Shaw's attention to detail, research and innovative ranges deserve the support of the wargaming fraternity/sorority.

More Figure Reviews

15mm Feudal Castings WWI Brits and Germans, WWII Japanese, 1850 Danish, 1859 Piedmontese, War of the Roses, and Feudal Scots
Guernsey Foundry 28mm Old West, Victorian Bystanders, Prussian Kurrassiere and Fusileers, Seven Years War Russians Musketeers
20mm Qualiticast Colonial Ox Wagon
6mm "Baccus" ECW Range & BACCUS Banners
25mm Bushi Warriors of Japan
25mm Redoubt Enterprises Three Musketeers